Jump to content

So Will Smith


Metropolis
 Share

Recommended Posts

This is the type of subjectiveness that i see as to each their own. To me the joke was tame. What gets me is that earlier in the evening Regina Hall makes a joke about Jada and Will sleeping around on each other and they both laughed at it. Chris Rock makes an alopecia joke and that's grounds for slapping someone? Doesn't add up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Destiny Skywalker said:

Good humor punches up. Punching down is bullying. Chris Rock was punching down (woman, illness). Can't they both be in the wrong?

On the other hand, you have a millionaire making a joke about an even richer millionaire. Nobody in that situation is weak in any way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Fozzie said:

On the other hand, you have a millionaire making a joke about an even richer millionaire. Nobody in that situation is weak in any way.

True.  But at the same time, poor taste to make fun of someone with an illness, if Rock knew about it.  Otherwise I agree.  I don't care if rich and famous people get their feelings hurt, it's no reason to assault someone. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a question I've often had about presenters that I've never really thought to ask before, but seems particularly relevant now:

Do the hosts provide their own material or is it coming from central writers of the ceremony?  I've seen many criticizing Chris Rock for the joke, but did he actually write it or just say it?  Not that the latter excuses things, but I'm surprised I haven't seen criticism of the Oscars for even going through with that joke.  I've only seen annoyance/anger with how they handled it afterward.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Jacen123 said:

Here's a question I've often had about presenters that I've never really thought to ask before, but seems particularly relevant now:

Do the hosts provide their own material or is it coming from central writers of the ceremony?  I've seen many criticizing Chris Rock for the joke, but did he actually write it or just say it?  Not that the latter excuses things, but I'm surprised I haven't seen criticism of the Oscars for even going through with that joke.  I've only seen annoyance/anger with how they handled it afterward.

According to Rock's spokesperson, he didn't know about her condition. He thought she just shaved her head. I never heard about her condition. If the Oscars can be blamed for anything, its for letting Smith accept that award after what he did. If you can't trust adults to act like adults then just accept the show's dismal fate. I'm sure next year's show will have bigger ratings because of the what if factor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Metropolis said:

According to Rock's spokesperson, he didn't know about her condition. He thought she just shaved her head. I never heard about her condition. If the Oscars can be blamed for anything, its for letting Smith accept that award after what he did.

I know celebs probably aren't up on all the gossip rags, but I knew about her condition and I'm not exactly a big celebrity follower.

He still won Best Actor. They couldn't suddenly switch to the runner up. They could have asked him to leave (and the time to do that would've been immediately following the incident) but he still deserved the award. Being an actor doesn't not require that one be morally perfect (and honestly, how many incidents has Will Smith had leading up to it?). Dude lost his shit, no doubt about that. But it doesn't negate his talent and that otherwise he's been pretty tame outside of his open marriage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can appreciate that in the heat of the moment the producers of the show are probably crapping their pants trying to figure out what to do. I can say they should have did this or that, but his acceptance was right after the award Rock was presenting right? That's not even my argument nor was the harshness of Chris Rock's joke. Will Smith picked on a smaller dude. And also a guy he knew probably wouldn't retaliate. What Smith did was wrong, but in that moment he deserved to have his ass whipped on national television for trying to humiliate someone else. I don't buy the defending his wife's honor stuff. I said it before. They can joke about you and your wife screwing around on each other earlier in the show, but a hair joke crossed the line? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It might of been a low blow, offensive and crass joke but it didn’t warrant the violent reaction Smith gave it. There have been far more offensive and crass jokes handed out to celebs at other Award ceremonies - Mel Gibson didn’t come out and thump Ricky Gervais. 

I just don’t see what’s subjective about Smith’s reaction. When you only solution is violence, it says a lot about your character. I mean it’s cute to say ‘I’ve been hit for less’, but I’ve restrained myself for far worse than what Smith did. 

But any suggestions it was staged are laughable. Smith isn’t going to f**k his career over a lame joke. And the f-bomb would of been censored. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Metropolis said:

They can joke about you and your wife screwing around on each other earlier in the show, but a hair joke crossed the line? 

They've been pretty open about the fact that they have an open marriage, so I can see how that joke didn't bother them, but the one about her medical condition did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Jacen123 said:

Here's a question I've often had about presenters that I've never really thought to ask before, but seems particularly relevant now:

Do the hosts provide their own material or is it coming from central writers of the ceremony?  I've seen many criticizing Chris Rock for the joke, but did he actually write it or just say it?  Not that the latter excuses things, but I'm surprised I haven't seen criticism of the Oscars for even going through with that joke.  I've only seen annoyance/anger with how they handled it afterward.

Awards shows have joke writers working in advance of the airing. Hosts and presenters are given the option of using the written material or doing their own. Comedians tend to do their own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ricky Gervais' scathing jabs at celebrities are about their shitty behaviour, their delusions, their wealth and self absorbtion, I.e Things they can change. He doesn't poke fun at illnesses or disabilities. He pokes fun at hypocrisy and people who need taking down a peg. And hes actually funny. The GI Jane joke was just shit. It was a shit observation and a shit joke to make, even without the alopecia factor. Like what is it 1967? A woman shaving her head is worthy of a joke? Like what? (Not that making a shit joke is just cause for violence). That's the difference between him and Chris Rock as presenters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was highlighting the difference because you said Mel Gibson didn't get on stage and hit Ricky. But Ricky just pointed out the massive flaws in Gibson's character to scathing effect. Mel had no justification to get up there. Jada Pinket Smith was mocked for something she can't help. Smith took umbrage, (or took insult on Jadas behalf). Right or wrong, he had more of a justification than Gibson ever did. Not that slapping someone is an appropriate reaction. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Odine said:

I was highlighting the difference because you said Mel Gibson didn't get on stage and hit Ricky. But Ricky just pointed out the massive flaws in Gibson's character to scathing effect. Mel had no justification to get up there. Jada Pinket Smith was mocked for something she can't help. Smith took umbrage, (or took insult on Jadas behalf). Right or wrong, he had more of a justification than Gibson ever did. Not that slapping someone is an appropriate reaction. 

Actually, most of Gibson’s inappropriate behavior is related to his bipolar disorder. So Gervais 100% was mocking someone for a disability. Someone in the middle of a major manic episode has no more control over their actions than Jada has over her hair. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People get made fun of all the time for everything, everyone in this thread has done it, the degree to which it is done will be different.

Chris Rock apparently didn’t know about Jada’s condition, so anyone mad with him is mad at someone making a joke about a hairstyle. It’s unfortunate for him is all.

It’s a similar scenario to me popping into the Depression thread and making a joke about Spotify shuffling my soft jazz music to noir stuff while I was in a bubble bath and thus ruining the chill mood. Meanwhile Fozzie was just above me in mourning. It was the one time I didn’t read up before posting.

“But but you weren’t making fun of someone else.”

I know. It’s the unfortunate nature of it which is the same. A person just throwing a joke into a moment for the purpose of omg humor. How dastardly.

Without the slap and outburst no one would be on a high horse right now.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Tank said:

Awards shows have joke writers working in advance of the airing. Hosts and presenters are given the option of using the written material or doing their own. Comedians tend to do their own.

Thanks!  That certainly makes sense, not just for now, but in general.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.